Film-feeding mechanism.



A. SCHUSTEK.

FILM FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18 1914.

1,189,73L Patented May18,1915.

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ilNITED STATES PATENT UFFIQE. v I

I ANDREW SCHUS'IIEK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FILM-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 18, 1914. Serial No. 825,458.

tain new and useful Improvements in F ilm- Feeding Mechanisms, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of film feeding mechanisms in whicha marginally perforated strip is operatively engaged'by a sprocket wheelin the attainment of a positive feed 'of said strip or film past thelight orifice of a moving picture apparatus or the like. And the presentimprovement has for its object to provide a simple and efficientstructural formation and combination of parts whereby the strip or filmis effectively maintained at a predetermined distance from the axis ofrotation of the feeding sprocket and in operative engagement therewith,and with which construction the above mentioned distance of the filmfrom the axis of rotation of the sprocket can be accurately varied tocompensate for changes in the spaclngs of the marginal perforations ofthe strip or film due to shrinkage of the same from age, chemical changeand the like, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figures 1, 2, and 3, are fragmentarysectional elevations, illustrating different detail arrangements foreffecting the functions of the present invention. Fig. 4, is a detailfront elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 3.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts 'in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents one of the revoluble filmfeeding sprockets usual to the film feeding mechanisms of moving pictureapparatus and the like, and which sprocket, in the present improvement,is formed of a disk of rigid material of the required thickness andhaving sprocket teeth 2 cut or otherwise formed in the periphery of saiddisk.

3, are side breasts or film supports, preferably non-revoluble,associated with the sprocket 1, and formed with outer convex surfaces,the radius of which is approximately the same as the perimeter of thesprocket 1, and adapted to malntain the passing strip or film 4:, at therequired and v predetermined distance from the axis of rotation of saidsprocket wheel to which it is adjusted as hereinafter more fully setforth. The purpose 'is to insure an accurate mesh between the teeth ofthe sprocket 1 and the series of marginal perforations in the strips orfilm 4. The said s de breasts 3, are located at one or both sides of thesprocket wheel, preferably at both sides and formed as a single unit,slotted for the passage of the marginal portion of the sprocket disk 1,as shown more particularly in Fig. 4.

The material part of the present improvement involves mounting the filmsupports or breasts 3 in an adjustable manner to and Patented May 18,1915.

from the axis of rotation of the sprocket v 1 and in connectiontherewith means for effecting an adjustment of said film support to andfrom said axis. The purpose is to effect a circumferential increase ordecrease in the radial or pitch distances at which the series ofsprocket teeth 2 will have driving engagement with the sprocket orificesof the picture film or strip that is being used in the apparatus, and sothat said peripheral or pitch distances will correspond with and be thesame as the distances between the sprocket orifices of saidfilm or stripand with the attainment of a common factor in the distances of the twoelements very effective and perfect feeding of the film through theapparatus can be effected. Such shown in the drawings will be moved tothe right, in order to bring the film nearer to the base of the sprocketteeth, thus decreasing the circumferential distance between the edges ofthe sprocket teeth to correspond with the distance between theperforations longitudinally of the particular film.

In the practical carrying out of the present invention it will be foundconvenient to have the manufacturer, after the film is ready for themarket, to accurately measure the distances of the sprocket orifices,and

'mark the same on the film, as an index to the operator to aid in aquick adjustment of the present mechanism to aparticular film. The abovedescribed adjustment of the film support or breast 3, may be attained inany usual and suitable manner, and examples of various means ofadjustment are divided resilient annulus, the ends of the .'di-' visionscarrying ears 8, for the passage of an adjusting screw 9, wherebythe'distance of the film bearing portion of the breast is adjusted toand from the axis of rotation of the sprocket 1. In Fig. 3, the breastfilm support 3, is shown as a vertically depending resilient bar, whichis adjusted in the manner above set forth, by an adjusting screw 10,passing through a stationary member 12 of the main frame of theapparatus.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I clalm as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In afilm feeding mechanism, a revoluble sprocket having a disk'likemargin formed with sprocket teeth, a non-revoluble film support thebearing surface of which has adjacent relation to the. eripheral teethof the sprocket, and mean for adjustingsaidfilm support to and from theaxis of rotation of the sprocket to effect an increase or a decrease inthe radial distances at which the teeth of the sprocket wheel will havedrivin engagement with the sprocket orifices o the film and attain acommon factor in the distances of both elements, substantially as setforth.

2. In a film feeding mechanism, a revoluble sprocket having a disk linemargin formed with sprocket teeth, a non-revoluble film support thebearing surfaceof ,which has adjacent relation to the peripheral teethof the sprocket, and means for adjusting said film support to and fromthe axis of rotation of the sprocket to effect an increase or a decreasein the radial distances at which the teeth of the sprocketwheel willhave drivin engagement with the sprocket orifices o the, film and attaina common factor in the distances of both elements, the same/ comprisingan angular extension on the film support, a stationary slidewaysupport-' ing said extension 'and an adjusting screw for impartingadjustment to said extension, substantially as set forth.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 12th day of March, 1914. ANDREWSCHUSTEK;

Witnesses:

ROBERT BURNS, In L. CRANE.

